For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places (Eph. 6:12 AMP).

The world is dark and is becoming increasingly darker till we reach the stygian spiritual darkness of the devil’s diabolical delight. As I observe the church in the U. S., it is amazing to me how unprepared and uninformed it seems to be for what is coming. I remember reading a book about the communist takeover of China in the 50's. One of the most popular messages being preached at the time was about a pre-tribulation rapture where the people would be spared all the coming trials and persecution. Then the communist took over and millions were killed, tortured, starved, persecuted and oppressed. They got just the opposite of that for which they had been prepared. Many were left disillusioned, angry with God, and angry with those preachers who told them they would escape all the horrors they went through. Many of them fell away from the faith because of the false hope they were given by preachers. I have read that one of the requirements for a minister in the underground church in China now is that they have spent time in prison for their faith. I see the church in the U.S. being prepared in a similar way for what is coming that China was prepared for the Communist takeover.

Shortly after I started working on this blog on the coming darkness, the Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia died. The Supreme Court justices had been somewhat divided with four conservatives, four liberals and one that could swing either way. Of course, they did not always vote according to expectations, such as when the so-called conservative Roberts sided with the liberals to force the yoke of Obama “Care” on the people, whether they wanted it or not. Now that Scalia is gone, we can expect the Supreme Court to vote increasingly liberal and away from the principles of the Bible. Scalia will be replaced by another liberal, and they will vote in darker and darker laws. In the future, when historians look back upon Scalia’s death, they will see a marked increase in evil laws.

According to the ancient book of Jasher (which the Bible mentions twice), one reason Sodom became so evil was because of their judges. Back then the judges created laws instead of just interpreting them, just as our judges are increasingly trying to do. Sodom’s judges actually made wicked and sinful laws and forced everyone to follow them. We may think this is something that could not happen in our day, but all we have to do is look at Nazi Germany to see where evil laws were passed and backed up by unjust judges protecting wicked laws instead of the people. We can look at our own laws and see evil laws have been passed by the courts such as abortion on demand. If they will legislate the killing of babies, what would they not pass? In Biblical days, the people of Israel degenerated into sacrificing children to the god of Molech in the fire. The idol was usually made out of bronze and had the face of a calf and arms like a man stretched out to receive the baby. The belly was hollowed out for the fire. Today, people just take them to the abortion clinic and give them to the outstretched arms of “doctors” in bloody white coats. The belly of the mother becomes the belly of the god of Molech while the baby is the screaming sacrifice.

Why do we even desire the day of the Lord the Prophet asks,

Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you want the day of the Lord? It is darkness and not light; It is as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned with his hand against the wall and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, not light? Even very dark with no brightness in it? (Amos 5:18 AMP).

Many in the church are not prepared for the coming darkness because they live worldly lives. Some, however, are preparing and sanctifying themselves so they can be used by God during the coming darkness. Darkness is coming on the world, but light is coming to God’s people. We are called to be lights in the darkness. The darker it gets, the brighter our lights can shine. The time of darkness is the time of rising for God’s faithful saints and glory for the church.Arise, shine;For your light has come!And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,And deep darkness the people;But the Lord will arise over you,And His glory will be seen upon you.The Gentiles shall come to your light,And kings to the brightness of your rising.(Isaiah 60:1-3).

Yes, darkness is coming; however, believers are children of light.For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Eph. 5:8-14).

God wants an army of people, filled with His word and His Spirit, who will shine in the darkness. The people of the world are going to be in confusion and fear with all that is coming in the end-times. As the Scriptures say, “men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:26). The church will have great opportunities to reach out with guidance and salvation for many. It is the time for the great end-time harvest. Are you preparing yourself and getting filled with the word and the Spirit for the coming darkness?

Just before the dawn is the darkest. The Morning Star is coming. The greatest darkness is the best indicator that the sun is about to rise.

“Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?” The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but also the night (Isa. 21:11b-12a NIV).

During the darkness we are called to be like stars,Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever (Dan. 12:3).

Another theme about darkness that runs throughout the Bible is that God dwells in the darkness. Here are a few of the Scriptures that indicate this, So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was (Ex. 20:21).He made darkness canopies around Him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him coals of fire were kindled (2 Sam. 22:12-13).He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire (Ps. 18:11-12).Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. A fire goes before Him, and burns up His enemies round about (Ps. 97:2-3).

One reason God is surrounded by darkness is that He is a consuming fire, and fire produces dark clouds of smoke. However, brightness and light are associated with Him, which all of these verses reveal. His presence sparks “coals of fire.” This could be revival fire like the flames that came upon the heads of those in the upper room at Pentecost. Hidden inside of the darkness is fire that sets people aglow like it did Moses when he went into the dark cloud,And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him (Ex. 34:35).

I once had a three-day visitation from God, and during that time I went to visit my step-brother. He didn’t know about the visitation; but when I came in, he stared at me and exclaimed, “Your face is glowing!” With Moses, this is a natural sign for the spiritual light inside of a believer when they spend time with God. The spiritual light we are supposed to display is the fruit of the Spirit—especially love.

The three-day visitation I had was a taste of the power and anointing that is coming on God’s end-time army. During this visitation, I could hear the Father’s voice directly (a terrifying experience at first). I had supernatural energy, supernatural wisdom and supernatural strength. I saw visions continuously, and I saw things in the spirit realm. I did not even need to eat or sleep during the three days because the Spirit totally sustained me. You can read more about this experience in my book The Breastplate of the High Priest.

However, this end-time power and anointing is only for those who have sought the Lord with all their hearts and gotten themselves sanctified and prepared through His Word. It will not be for the casual self-seeking Christians. I teach that sanctification is like trying to beat a rhinoceros to death with a straw; the sin nature is tough. We can’t do this on our own, but we can seek and pray for God’s grace to complete it. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord (Heb. 12:14 NASB).

For most of us, it will take decades or our whole lives. We don’t have time to waste seeking the things of this world and watching T.V. 20 hours a week.

Once I experienced a taste of the power that is coming to God’s end-time army, I knew it was worth sacrificing whatever it took to become part of it—money, reputation, friends, time, things of this world—whatever. I am not saying I have qualified yet or gotten totally sanctified —decades after that experience— but I keep pressing into Him that I might be part of that elite, end-time army of light. I have also observed over the years that most Christians are not preparing, nor are they willing to sacrifice much to be in God’s end-time army because they are seeking this world and the things of it.

If we get sanctified and filled with the Spirit of Jesus then,

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me and the night shall be [the only] light about me, even the darkness hides nothing from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You (Ps. 139:11-12 AMP).

Even the darkness shall be as light for those who have prepared for it. For the rest of the world— including many Christians—this coming darkness will be terrifying.

As you reflect on God in the darkness I remember another analogy I have meditated upon lately with the same results.

The 4th stage of Sanctification points to the instructions of God. Psalm 19 speaks of the Bridegroom and the laws, statutes, precepts, commands, fear, and ordinances of the Lord. These define the will of God. This 4th stage (biblical focus) is our time to remember the will of God.

And as Noah, the disciples and Jesus were transformed in 40 days; 40 is a time for us the meditate and fast for transformation.

For 400 years Israel was transformed from a tribe of 70 to twelve tribes of millions. From Joshua taking the mantle of Moses to David succeeding Saul was 400 years. Israel was transformed to a nation under a King after God’s own heart. And it was a time of 400 years from the final Prophets after the exile to the arrival of the Word of God in the flesh. During the exile in Egypt and the 400 years before Jesus God is not reported to have spoken in our Scriptures, times of darkness. Yet in those times of darkness He was there in the darkness.

From Adam to Jesus was 4,000 years. From the Adam that followed the Flesh to the Adam that followed the will of God mankind spent 4,000 years in transformation.

America was the first nation to be founded on the word of God since David’s Israel. And we are just a little past our 200th birthday. And it is a little past 2,000 years since the Word of God visited us. Therefor I live as if we are midway of two transforming eras. One of covenants, and one of nature. And I long and groan to tell others. Like Ezekiel’s Watchman.

The sanctification I practice has 7 tempering stages; virtue, knowledge of the Spirit, spiritual focus, biblical focus, discipleship, covenant, and reconciliation. It took me 10 years to make my first trip through these stages. The last 23 years I have studied and ministered to strengthen this relationship.

As you say there is no time to waste. I remember Shindler’s last prayer, if only I could have helped one more. Time is short…….

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Hosea said, After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up that we may live in His sight (6:2). That's when God’s spiritual temple, the church, is going to be built according to God’s pattern and desire. My goal is to shine light on this pattern so the church can get ready for the wedding of the Lamb. Learn More